I am pretty sure that life before kids was black & white, way too stark, and absolutely mind-blowingly boring. I like to craft and create, and am very happy to see that I’ve managed to pass on this trait. Our kids – who are free to be artistic and spread their creations through the house (within reason) as we do not separate “kids’ rooms” from any other area of our home – add a magical touch that never ceases to amaze and surprise me.
I enjoy finding their art, tableaus, dioramas, forts, etc. around the house, as much as I enjoy their playing, joking and dressing up. Especially when I find it on accident – I open a cabinet, or look under a dresser, and find a bunch of critters gathered for some important meeting or other event… usually with carefully arranged props and other useful items. For example:
We have a nest of dragons congregating in the empty entertainment center. (Yes, I am the crocheter who made the scarves and sombrero for the dragons – wouldn’t want them to get cold now would we?)
A cave full of cats (and one dragon)
Polar expedition practice
Mythological creatures who take their reading homework very seriously.
And my favorite. The offerings upon the altar of mom. The altar is my bedside table, and … I don’t even know when it started?! Ever since forever? Since both were very tiny. I often find little presents next to my bed. Sometimes they will sneak in during the day and place something for me to find at night, or they’ll get up early on a weekend – when we get to sleep in! – and set up little gifts for me to see when I wake up. Often it is one of their favorite toys that I get to borrow for a while. Sometimes I get notes. I have had arts and crafts of all sorts appear, including legos and water paintings on paper towel rolls.
The one in the photo below was placed, at first, beside my bed of pillows on the floor beside Brian’s bed when he was running a very high fever last week. I had to wake up every hour to check on him because his temps were not staying down. He’d be at 102F at 9pm, I’d give him motrin, but by 11pm, he’d be back up to 103-104F! I was alternating Tylenol and Motrin for 48 hours to keep him comfortable. The first night, I definitely slept (not well) by his side and set my alarm to keep close track. The second night, he was somewhat more regulated and it ended up that I didn’t have to wake him for medicine as much, but he had still wanted me to stay in his room, and even offered to re-make my bed. The kids went and got cushions from the sofa, my pillow, a blanket, and made up a nice nest for me on the floor. They added some soft toys so I would have company, and Honor also left this little offering of treasures to one side:
A cool rock, two quarters (one US and one Canadian), and a paperclip bent into a ‘snake’. I tried to give it back to her the next day, but somehow, it is back on my ‘altar’ again.
I love these little tokens of love! Although, I love the kids who present them, and who make our home and lives full of surprises and unconventional decor, even more.
8 comments:
You really do have the sweetest kids on the planet. :) Hubby has been bugging me for ages to knit pants, hats and the like for our stuffed animals. Seeing how cute your dragons look i may have to start on those projects. :)
Thank you! I often think I am the luckiest mom ever (I may be biased, of course!) so I won't argue with you :)
My hubby gives me a hard time because we've been married almost 18yrs now and he's never got a single sweater from me! Maybe one day. Keeping busy with the kids, I can't really focus on complex patterns or following exact measurements. I do a bunch of easy patterns, or, more usually, I just wing it. I don't have a honey-do list, I have a mommy-can-you-do open request line. Keeps the kids (and dragons) happy!
I love that 'offerings on the altar of mum'- gorgeous! Im glad Brians better, high temps in kids are scary.
Aww, that's so sweet. Glad Brian is feeling better. fevers are no fun.
I am so relieved that Brian is past this too! Thank you! He has NEVER done fevers half-way. At least it gave me a good excuse to sleep on the floor. Poor Brad has been so congested from his bought of this, that breathing quietly is impossible. It wasn't very comfortable, but at least Brian's floor was quiet (except when my alarm went off ;-) !)
Adorable!
That is so sweet. I love finding stuff that my boys have set up, though they tend not to get too complex yet. Mostly we have lines of cars running around the bed.
Their gifts are so cute! This morning, Irving let me sleep in and when I got up and headed to the bathroom, Dorian stood outside the door and said, "Mama, I have flowers. They're for YOU." When I came out, he handed me a bunch of droopy leaves. Irving later told me that he'd picked them hours earlier and had kept them clutched in his hand the entire time, waiting for me to wake up so he could give them to me!
Awww! Flowers, squished full of love, are the best! :)
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